Governor
Kwara records three new virus cases
Three new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kwara, Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, the Spokesman of the state’s Technical Committee on COVID-19, made this known in a statement on Monday in Ilorin. Ajakaye, also the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said that this was the situation as at 9.30 p.m. on Sunday. Newsmen report that the state now has a total of 954 confirmed cases of the virus. According to Ajakaye, out of the 954 confirmed cases, 778 patients have been discharged, leaving 151 active cases in the state. He stated that 5,087 tests were conducted, while 5,103 tested negative with 25 deaths recorded so far in the state, and 30 tests were pending. Newsmen report that the virus has spread to 12 local government areas of the state. The local governments are;...
Northern governors congratulate Yahaya Bello over victory at Supreme Court
The Northern Governors Forum has congratulated Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, over his election victory at the Supreme Court. The Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong, congratulated Bello in a message by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Macham, on Monday in Jos. Lalong said Bello’s victory was an affirmation of the mandate Kogi people entrusted on him, which he should work hard to justify. “The Supreme Court judgment affirming your election victory gives you an opportunity to settle down to serve your people and fulfill their aspirations without any distraction. “The people have already reposed their confidence in you and are looking up to you for the dividends of democracy,” he said. Lalong assured Bello that members of the Forum would continue to supp...
Kogi guber: Governor Bello floors PDP, Musa Wada at Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the petition of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Musa Wada, against the declaration of Governor Yahaya Bello of All Progressives Congress, APC as the winner of November 16 Kogi governorship election. In the judgment delivered on their behalf by Justice Uwani Abba Aji, the seven man panel of the apex court led by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Tanko held that the appeal is devoid of merit and is accordingly dismissed in the unanimous judgement. The panel held that the petitioners abandoned their pleadings on their written briefs that the election was marred with irregularities at the lower courts. The panel therefore ruled that having failed to prove their allegations with results from the election and failed to prove that the respo...
Supreme Court upholds Kogi governor’s election
File Photo The Supreme Court, on Monday, affirmed the election of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State. The apex court, dismissed an appeal the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Musa Wada, lodged to challenge the outcome of the gubernatorial election that held in the state on November 16, 2019. It upheld the earlier judgement of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which had on July 4, dismissed the case of the PDP and its candidate, and validated the majority decision of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal that affirmed governor Bello’s election victory. Though the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Ibrahim Tanko, led the seven-man panel that heard the case of the appellants, the lead judgement was however prepared by Justice Inyang Okoro and r...
Edo guber: APC, REC bicker over ‘rigging plan’
Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, yesterday, engaged in verbal war as the APC alleged that Governor Godwin Obaseki has engaged the REC to manipulate the September 19 governorship election. Igini immediately fired back, saying the claim was ‘outright fabrication.’ The Chairman, APC Media Campaign Council, John Mayaki, who started the war, had asked the Akwa Ibom REC to explain his presence at Protea Hotel in Benin City where National Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from Abuja were lodged. The INEC Commissioners had met with the Edo REC and members of his team in the state in Benin-City to strategise ahead of the governorship election last week. Mayaki said the APC ha...
NCDC certifies molecular laboratory in Bayelsa
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated the newly inaugurated Bayelsa State Molecular Laboratory, Research and Diagnostic Centre for COVID-19 testing. The facility, which was inaugurated by Gov. Douye Diri, brought the number of NCDC accredited laboratories in the country to 66 in 34 states. The Acting Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Daniel Alabrah, announced this in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Yenagoa. He said that the NCDC in a letter by the Laboratory Network Advisor, Celestina Obiekea, to the Bayelsa Commissioner for Health, stated that the laboratory had fulfilled the necessary requirements to test for COVID-19. He quoted the NCDC as saying that the state would be responsible for procurement of consumables, equipment and other mater...
Brazil court fires Rio governor over corruption
Brazil’s High Court of Justice removed Rio de Janeiro Governor Wilson Witzel from office Friday, as police raided his official residence in a probe into accusations he stole emergency funds to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The raids also targeted the far-right governor’s wife and inner circle. Among those arrested was Pastor Everaldo, an evangelical preacher and leader of Witzel’s Christian Social Party. Helicopters circled over the stately governor’s residence, Laranjeiras Palace, starting at dawn as federal police executed a sweeping series of search and seizure orders and arrest warrants. The court ruling suspends Witzel, 52, from office for at least 180 days as authorities investigate claims he took a reported 274.2 million reals ($50 million) in kickbacks. “This criminal organizatio...
Governor Abdulrazaq: EFCC stopped withdrawal of N4 billion from Kwara government account on eve of handover
Kwara State Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, on Wednesday praised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for helping to stop withdrawal and sharing of the sum of N4 billion by officials of his predecessor at the eve of handover of government in 2019. The Governor said this while expressed his support to the anti graft agency when the Ilorin zonal head of the EFCC Oseni Kazeem Oluwasina, paid him a courtesy bisit. The Governor noted that the EFCC has offered enormous support to the Kwara State Government in tackling graft and stabilising the government and any hand of fellowship offered to the Commission would be a gesture in the right direction. ”It is a good thing you are here, I thank you for the service you rendered for the Kwara State, humanity and Nigeria as a who...
Senator Kalu urges Nigerian government to look towards Abia, South East for economic solution
Former Governor of Abia state and Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Kalu, believes that the federal government and its economic teams must look towards Abia and South East if they must fashion out a way of salvation from the pandemic-induced economic slump threatening the country. He stated this as part of his commendation of the people of Abia state for their steadfastness, selflessness and patriotism. According to Kalu, the political class must place the collective interests of Abians above personal ambitions in a bid to improve the common lots of the people. Describing Abia state, as the commercial hub of the South East, the former Governor called on government at all levels, to support the business acumen of Abians. In his goodwill message, Kalu called on the people of Abia state ...
Governor Obaseki: Comrade Oshiomhole deceived 14 Edo Assembly members-elect
Edo State Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, deceived the 12 members-elect of the state’s Assembly who refused to present themselves for inauguration and two others whose seats were declared vacant, denying their constituents representation. The governor said this in Adolor Ward 4, Ekiadolor, Ovia North East Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, during his reelection campaign rally. Obaseki said the affected members-elect in their selfish pursuits and obedience to their godfather, Oshiomhole, betrayed the confidence reposed in them by their constituents after the house was proclaimed on June 17, 2019. “The godfather is very deceptive; he de...
Plateau PDP congress date surprises chairmanship aspirant
File Photo Mr Bitrus Kaze, Plateau State Chairmanship aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed surprise at what he called “the sudden decision of the party” to hold the state elective congress on Aug. 29. Newsmen report that the party’s acting spokesperson, Mr John Akans, had on Tuesday announced that the elective congress would hold on Saturday. But Kaze in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Jos described the decision as hasty, considering what called the numerous unresolved issues in the party, including the fact that “the state has taken a decision that the caretaker is not fit to be in office much less conduct a state congress.” He also cited the court cases and petitions by party members, “yet we saw a communication from Akan that a date for the election h...
Poor disposal of plastic wastes worry institute
The Polymer Institute of Nigeria, PIN, has expressed worry over the poor disposal of non-degradable plastic wastes in Nigeria. The Institute’s National President, Professor Paul Mamza, who disclosed this during a courtesy call on Governor Hope Uzodinma in Owerri, also said that they are developing an environmentally friendly method for disposal of plastic wastes. “The Institute is developing an environmentally friendly method for the disposal of plastic wastes. Plastic wastes are littered all over our environment and it constitutes a great threat to our habitat”, Mamza said. Pressing his argument further, PIN National President told Uzodimma that polyethylene, which he said “is the simplest plastic”, takes about 100 years to decompose on its own, adding that virtually all household utensil...
